Google Chrome OS Announced

Members of the media were invited to Google’s headquarters for the official unveiling of Chrome OS, the new operating system from Google. Details were few and far between, so don’t expect Chrome OS to become widely available until 2010.

Google has shared little information since first announcing Chrome OS just a few short months ago. The operating system, says Google, is designed for people who spend most of their time on the Web.

Rumors have been circulating around the web for weeks about when Chrome OS will arrive. In fact, a beta version of the operating system was expected to appear as early as this week. That may still be a possibility, but given the wording of the Google invitation, I wouldn’t get your hopes up.

Google is billing Thursday’s event as “an update on our progress with Google Chrome OS.” The event will include a demonstration of what Chrome OS is and how it works. Google also said it will detail its “launch plans for next year.”

That last quote makes it pretty clear that the operating system won’t be ready until some point in 2010. Hopefully it will be earlier in the year rather than later in the year.

Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management and Matthew Papakipos, engineering director for Google Chrome OS, will be leading the event.